PURGATION. 265 



of certain writers befide, in other refpecls very 

 able, for the benefit of the difcriminating reader. 

 There is fomething in the operation of a brifk, 

 and well-adapted purge, which, by fuddenly 

 eafing the horfe's body of an oppreflive load, 

 gives that cheerfulnefs to his fpirits, energy and 

 vigour to his mufcular funftions, and gloffy 

 burnifli to his (kin, which are precifely what we 

 want, and can obtain in perfection by no other 

 means; it finiflies the English horfe— the pa- 

 ragon of the fpecies— the conqueror of the 

 world ! 



Many have been the advocates for the bleed- 

 ing fyftem, with the view either of the pre- 

 vention of difeafes, or of promoting the con- 

 dition of the horfe : nothing can be more un- 

 availing and fallacious. Bleeding can have no 

 effeft in cleanfing the bowels, the grand obje6l ; 

 and its efficacy in attenuating the humours is 

 very fmall and temporary : in fa6l its evanef- 

 cent and fpecious good efFefts, have often the 

 ill confequence of preventing meafures of a 

 more falutary and radical tendency. . Phle- 

 botomy is often induced as a habit upon a 

 horfe;' which it becomes afterwards dangerous 

 to difcontinue ; an ufage fufficiently improper 

 on the fcore of its want of necedity ; it ought 

 to be referved, whether in horfe or man, for 

 thofe occafions in the preternatural or mor- 

 bid ftate, where it may be fpecifically required. 



DiEURETICS 



